Kinzua Bridge State Park

Kinzua Bridge State Park is a protected area in McKean County, Pennsylvania, where a railroad viaduct once crossed the valley. Today visitors walk along a roughly 600-foot (180 m) platform that ends above Kinzua Creek.

The railroad viaduct was finished in 1882 and ranked as the tallest railroad bridge in the world at over 300 feet (90 m) high. A tornado destroyed much of the structure in 2003, and it was not rebuilt.

The visitor center explains how railroad bridges were built and how the timber industry shaped this part of Pennsylvania. Many people visit for the forests and hills of the Pennsylvania Wilds as much as for the bridge itself.

The park opens daily at eight in the morning until sunset, and hiking trails run through the grounds. The viewing platform can get crowded on busy days, so early morning or late afternoon visits often work better.

A glass floor at the end of the platform lets visitors look straight down at the fallen iron towers lying among the trees since 2003. On clear days you can see individual metal lattice and timber beams on the valley floor below.

Location: Pennsylvania

Inception: 1963

Operator: Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks

Website: https://dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/KinzuaBridgeStatePark

GPS coordinates: 41.75530,-78.58360

Latest update: December 20, 2025 13:28